Garment buck apparatus



v. R. CARPENTER GARMENT BUCK APPARATUS Oct. 21, 1969 Filed March 15, 1968 3 SheetsSheet 1 FZ'EZZ 4 I W E I N VEN TOR.

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Oct, 21, 1969 Filed March 15. 1968 V. R CARPENTER GARMENT BUCK APPARATUS 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 VIRGI 2. 65927 611! 7'62 Arron/5y;

1969 v. R. cARPESa-rER 3,473,709

GARMENT BUCK APPARATUS Filed March 15, 1968 3 Sheets-Sheet 5 I NVENT OR. V/EG/L 1?. CARPENTER Arron/5y:

3,473,709 Patented Oct. 21, 1969 3,473,709 GARMENT BUCK APPARATUS Virgil R. Carpenter, Roseville, Minn, assignor to The Unipress Company, Incorporated, Minneapolis, Minn, a corporation of Minnesota Filed Mar. 15, 1968, Ser. No. 713,495 Int. Cl. D06c /00 ILS. Cl. 223-57 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE Garment buck apparatus having a pair of spaced stationary buck heads, a pair of movable clamp heads for clamping the garment on the buck heads, a pair of wings and wing mounting mechanism extending at least partially between the buck heads for moving the wings between an extended position and a retracted position more closely adjacent the buck heads, Each wing includes a pair of vertically spaced wing mounting brackets, each mounting a curved rod having an arcuate portion that extends through a substantial angular distance and a plurality of vertically elongated, circumferentially spaced wires having opposite ends wound around the above-mentioned rods and intermediate portions wound around other curved rods.

CROSS REFERENCE TO OTHER APPLICATIONS A garmet drayer of which the wing mechanism of this application may advantageously be used is described in greater detail in my copending application Ser. No. 713,428 entitled Double Buck Garment Drying Apparatus, which has been filed the same day as this application and assigned to the same assignee.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION A buck for finishing garments such as coats, shirts and etc. having vertically elongated Wings that in horizontal cross section extend through a substantial arc and permit the flow of fluid therethrough.

Frequently it is not necessary to press garments such as coats and shirts because of use to be made thereof, or because the garments are of the permanent press type, but it is desirable that the garment be finished, including drying, in a manner to prevent the formation of wrinkles. Accordingly, prior to the drying, the garment should be stretched taut and then fluid passed through the garment. In order to draw garments taut in a generally horizontal direction, wings have been used. However, even with split wings such as disclosed in US. Patent No. 3,273,765, the outer opposite vertical edges of the wing plates are cut to a definite shape, and the wing plates do not permit the passage of fluid therethrough. Additionally, the wing plates only abut against a relatively narrow vertical edge portion of the garment. In other garment dryers such as those disclosed in US. Patent No. 2,805,009 to Jackson wherein a bag is inflated to fill the garment, the garment is not drawn sufliciently taut. For example, with the last mentioned type of dryers, once the bag is inflated, one can manually exert a force on the inflated garment and it will give such as occurs when pressing on a balloon. Thus, such bag type garment dryers do not adequately draw the body portion of the garment taut. In order to overcome problems of the aforementioned nature, as well as others, this invention has been made.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION Buck apparatus for garments such as coats, shirts and etc. having a buck head and a pair of wings mounted for retracting and extending movement relative the buck head to draw the garment taut, and wing operating and mounting mechanism for moving the wings between their extended and retracted condition, said wings being vertically elongated and having a plurality of circumferentially spaced, vertically elongated flexible members to in a horizontal plane subtend a substantial arc to permit flexing of the wings and at the same time provide preloaded wings.

One of the objects of this invention is to provide new and novel wing mechanism for a garment finisher buck to permit passage of fluid through the wing and a preloading of the wing to retain the wing members in tension but to permit flexing thereof. Another object of the invention is to provide a wing having a plurality of vertically elongated members having opposite ends mounted on a pair of vertically spaced rods extending through a substantial curve, and intermediate portions mounted on rods vertically intermediate said pair of rods to permit flexing of the Wings to form a close fit with the tapered portion of the body of a garment such as a shirt.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIGURE 1 is a fragmentary, vertical view generally taken along the line and in the direction of arrows 11 of FIGURE 2 to illustrate the rear buck head, the wing mounting structure, and the wings, said view showing the wings in an extended condition; for purposes of facilitating the illustration of the invention, the relative diameter of the wing wires is exaggerated and normally a greater number of wires are used;

FIGURE 2 is a fragmentary, side view generally taken along the line and in the direction of the arrows 22 of FIGURE 1, the wings being in part broken away and the clamp head operating means and buck base being diagrammatically illustrated;

FIGURE 3 is a fragmentary view of the lower end portion of the structure of FIGURE 1 and also illustrating the mechanism for operating the wing linkages to a retracted condition;

FIGURE 4 is an enlarged view of one of the wings, said View being generally taken along the line and in the direction of arrows 44 of FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 5 is an enlarged cross sectional view generally taken along the line and in the direction of arrows 55 of FIGURES 1 and 4 to show the mounting and spacing of the lower end of the wing wires;

FIGURE 6 is a view similar to that of FIGURE 5 other than being taken along the line and in the direction of arrows 66 of FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 7 illustrates one wire of the first group of wing wires in a relaxed unmounted condition, said view being generally taken along the line and in the direction of arrows 77 of FIGURE 8, and along the line in the direction of arrows 77 of FIGURE 6 other than it only illustrates one wire;

FIGURE 8 is a view of two of the wires of the FIGURE 7 construction taken at right angles to that of FIGURE 7, said view being generally taken along the line and in the direction of the arrows 88 of FIGURE 6 except that the wires are shown in a relaxed condition that does not occur when forming part of a wing; and along the line and in the direction of the arrows 8-8 of FIGURE 7 except that it illustrates two wires and part of the structure on which they are mounted. Further the coil portions are shown horizontally spaced, however, normally such spacing does not exist when the wing is not exerting an outward force on a garment;

FIGURE 9 is a view generally taken along the line and in the direction of the arrows 99 of FIGURE 6 other than it shows only one wire of a second group of wing wires and the wire as illustrated in a relaxed unmounted condition; and

FIGURE 10 is a diagrammatic representation of the left hand wing as viewed in FIGURE 1 to illustrate a condition of the wing in an extended condition when the outward movement is opposed by, for example, a shirt having a tapered intermediate body portion.

Referring now to FIGURES 1-3, the apparatus of this invention includes a buck base generally designated which in part in FIGURE 2 is represented by a block. The buck base includes a pair of spaced base plates 11, each of which mounts an upright 12. The upper ends of uprights 12 mount a cross bar 13. Likewise, the base plates mount a second pair of uprights 14 that mount a second cross bar 13 parallel to the first mentioned cross bar and spaced therefrom. The lower end of a vertically elongated front buck head is mounted on uprights 14 while the lower end of a vertically elongated rear buck head 16 is mounted on uprights 11, said buck heads having vertically elongated, generally planar opposed surfaces 15a, 16a respectively.

An arm 17 and clamp head operating means designated by a block 18 is mounted on the buck base to in turn mount a vertically elongated buck clamp 19 and move said buck clamp relative head 15 between a garment clamping position and a garment dressing position. Likewise, an arm 20 and clamp head operating means 18 mount a vertically elongated clamp head 21 for movement relative the buck head 16 between a garment dressing and a garment clamping position, buck heads 15, 16 being located horizontally between clamp heads 19, 21. Mounted on the upper end of the buck heads 16, 15 is a collar-shoulder form assembly 24 which extends a substantial distance outwardly of either side of the buck heads in a direction lateral to the spacing of the buck heads. Since assembly 24 does not form a part of this invention, and the construction and mounting of a preferred form is described in greater detail in my copending application, said assembly will not be further described herein.

The one end portions of cross bars 13 mount a pivot member 25 while the opposite end portions mount a pivot member 26, said pivot members being located intermediate the buck heads and have parallel axes extending generally perpendicular to the generally planar surfaces 15a, 16a of the buck heads. The one ends of an elongated control member 27 and elongated arm 28 are respectively pivotally mounted on pivots 25, 26 to be located more closely adjacent buck head 16 than buck head 15; the opposite ends being pivotally connected at 23 and 22 respectively to a horizontal arm 29a of a wing bracket 29 whereby members 27, 28 provide a parallel linkage mounting the wing bracket. Wing bracket 29 includes a vertical arm 29b having a lower end portion joined to the end of arm 29a adjacent the pivotal connection of the bracket to arm 28. Similarly, control member 31 and arm 32 provide a parallel linkage for mounting a wing bracket 33, the one ends of the control member 31 and the arm 32 being pivotally connected at 23 and 22 respectively to the opposite ends of the horizontal leg 33a of the wing bracket 33, and the opposite ends of the control member 31 and arm 32 being pivotally mounted on pivot members 26 and 25 respectively. Control member 31 and arm 32 are mounted more closely adjacent buck head 15 then buck head 16 while the wing brackets are mounted on the adjacent sides of the respective parallel linkage with portions 2%, 33b more closely adjacent one another in the direction of the spacing of heads 15, 16 than arm portions 29a, 33a.

In order to move the wing brackets between the wing extended position of FIGURE 1 and a retracted position that vertical arm 33b is located generally vertically above pivot 25 and vertical arm 29b is located generally vertically above pivot 26, control member 27 has an arm portion 27b extending in overlying relationship to a short horizontal cam rod 35 while control member 31 has an arm portion 31b extending into overlying relationship to cam rod 35. The cam rod is secured to the lower end portion of an upright rod 36 that extends upwardly between arm portions 27b, 31b. The upper end portion of rod 36 slidably extends through a bracket 37 which is connected to the upper end of buck heads 15. 16 for retaining the buck heads in spaced relationship. A spring 38 has one end bearing against bracket 37 and an opposite lower end bearing against a collar 39 that is secured to rod 36 to move therewith. Accordingly, spring 38 resiliently urges rod 36 and thereby cam rod 35 to move in a downward direction. Further, the wing brackets are resiliently urged to their datum position by one spring 40 having one end connected to the upper end portion of control member 31 and an opposite end connected to the lower end portion of arm 32 by a stud 34, and a second spring 40 having one end portion connected to the upper end portion of control member 27 and an opposite end connected to the lower end portion of arm 28 by a stud 30. Accordingly, springs 40 act to resiliently retain the control member arm portions 27b, 31b in contact with the upper surface portion of cam rod 35.

The rod 36 extends through cam rod 35 an annular spacer 46 that forms a loose fit with rod 36, an aperture in plate 41 and has a nut 53 keyed thereto just below plate 41. Plate 41 is secured to the upper end of rod 42 to move therewith, rod 42 thence slidably extending downwardly through an annular abutment 44 and then through a bracket 43. Bracket 43 is welded to a base plate 11.

The downward movement of cam rod 35, and thereby the maximum extended condition of the wing brackets. i.e. the maximum horizontal spacing between vertical arm portions 33b, 29b is limited by the cam rod bearing adjacent spacer 46 which bears against plate 41, plate 41 bearing against the abutment which bears against the bracket.

At an elevation above the cross bar 13-, a generally L-shaped bracket 52 has one leg secured to buck head 15 and a second leg that has the rod 36 slidably extended therethrough. Bracket 52 is located and of a construction to avoid interference with the movement of the wing parallel linkages between fully wing extended and retracted positions. The lower end of rod 42 has an enlarged flange located in a position to be abutted against by the upper end of the piston rod 45 of a piston cylinder combination that includes a cylinder 63. When air under pressure is applied to cylinder 63, the piston rod 45 is moved to its extended condition to force rod 42, plate 41, spacer 46 and cam rod 35 upwardly which results in the control member portions 27b, 3112 respectively being pivoted about pivots 25, 26 to move the wing linkages to a wing retracted position.

The vertical wing bracket portions 33b, 291) have vertical edges 33c, 290 respectively and opposed surfaces 33d, 33e and 29d, 292 respectively, the bracket portions mounting a plurality of equally spaced studs 47, 48, 49, 50 that extend horizontally outwardly therefrom in opposite directions in the direction of the spacing of the buck heads. The studs of bracket 33 extend perpendicular to surface 33e while studs 47-50 on bracket 29 extend perpendicu lar to surface 29e. Each wing generally designated 55 in cludes a mounting plate 56 that has vertically spaced apertures for the two adjacent studs of the respective wing bracket vertical arm to be extended through for mounting the wings with the mounting plates adjacent the respective surface 33:2, 29:2 of the vertical bracket portions. Since the wings are of the same construction except that they are mounted by the wing brackets to be oppositely faced only one wing will be described. Each wing includes the mounting plate 56, an elongated lever 57 having a lower end portion welded to the upper end of the elongated linear portion 58a of rigid arm 58 to form an extension of said arm and a second elongated rigid arm 59 having a lower end welded to lever to extend adjacent to the upper end of arm 58. Arm 59 and lever 57 diverge in an upward direction at an acute angle less than Thus arms 58, 59 are connected together to provide a vertically elongated arm member. It is to be understood that arms 58 and 59 could be formed as one integral member. A spacer 54 is welded to the upper end of arm 58 to be on the opposite side thereof from lever 57, a horizontal pivot member 51 being provided to pivotally connect spacer 54, arms 58, 59 and lever 57 to the mounting plate. Spacer 54 is of a greater axial length than the thickness of the wing brackets vertical arms and is located between arm 58 and the mounting plates. The pivot member and the spacer thereon are mounted by plate 56 to be spaced horizontally on the opposite side of the respective wing bracket vertical arm from the buck heads when the mounting plate is mounted by a pair of wing bracket studs.

The upper end of bar 5? is extended between the adjacent parallel end portions 60a, 61a of brackets 60, 61 and pivotally connected to said end portions by a pivot member 62. With the wings in the vertically extending, mounted condition of FIGURE 1, the adjacent brackets 60, 61 have intermediate portions 60b, 61b respectively connected to portions 60a, 61a to diverge in a direction toward the buck heads and opposite end portions 600, 610 that extend in opposite directions of one another. That is, brackets 60, 61 are of the same size and shape but are mounted to have their end portions 66c, 61c extend in opposite directions, i.e. parallel to the pivot axis of pivot member 62. An arcuately curved rod 64 has one end extended through an aperture in the terminal end of portion 600 and its opposite end extended through an aperture in the terminal end of portion 60c, nuts being threaded on the opposite ends of the rod to bear against the adjacent bracket portion 60c, 61c. The rod has opposite, parellel linear end portions, one such end portion being designated by bracket 72 in FIGURE 6, and an arcuately curved intermediate portion extending through an arc of approximately 180 and integrally joined to end portions 72, the brackets mounting the rod to have its central portion located more remote from the buck heads than its threaded end portions and the central portion of the rod closely adjacent the upper end of arm 59. Each nut 65 is brazed to the adjacent rod end and bracket portion to prevent the rod moving relative brackets 60, 61.

The lower end of the wing includes a rod 66 and brackets 67, 68 that are of the same construction and connected in the same manner as rod 64 and brackets 60, 61 respectively. The adjacent end portions 67a, 68a of brackets 67, 68 respectively extend along opposite sides of the one end of a short link 69 and are pivotally connected thereto by a pivot member 70. The opposite end of link 69 extends between and is pivotally connected at 71 to the bifurcated legs 58c that form the lower end portion of arm 58. The pivot axes of pivots 51, 62, 70 and 71 are parallel to one another.

An annular spacer 63 is provided on pivot member 70 and mounted by link 69, the spacer being of a greater axial length than the corresponding dimension of link 69 to retain bracket portions 67a, 68a at a greater spacing than the thickness of link .69. Further the nuts threaded on the ends of rod 66 are brazed to the adjacent end of said rod and the adjacent bracket portion 67c, 68c respectively.

Mounted iby rods 64, 66 to extend therebetween are a plurality of vertically elongated wires 75, each wire having a coiled lower end portion 75a that is wound two and one-half turns around rod 74 to have a terminal end 75b extending upwardly, horizontally intermediate the rod and link 69, a lower linear portion 75c having one end integrally joined to coil 75:: opposite terminal end 751) and an opposite end integrally joined to one end of a lower coil portion 75d. Coil portion 75d extends through two turns and has an opposite end integrally joined to the lower end of intermediate linear portion 75c, the upper end of linear portion 75c being integrally joined to one end of the upper intermediate coil portion 75;. Coil portion 75] extends through two turns and has an opposite and integrally joined to the lower end of upper linear portion 75g, the upper end of linear portion 75g being integrally joined to one end of the upper coil portion 75h which has its opposite end integrally joined to the terminal ends 75i that extends downwardly and is located horizontally more closely adjacent the upper end of the arm 59 than linear portion 75g. As may be noted from FIGURE 8, coil portions 75a, 75d and 75 751' extend horizontally outwardly of linear portions 750, 75g in the same directions whereby linear portions 750, 75g are substantially vertically aligned and linear portion 75c is horizontally offset from linear portions 75c, 75g when the wire is in a relaxed, unmounted condition. Thus, the terminal ends 5712, 751' are generally vertically aligned when wire 75 is in a relaxed condition. dition.

About one-quarter of the length of the rods 64, 66 that extend between brackets 60c, 61c are extended through the hollow core formed by coils 75h, 75a respectively to mount a first group of wires 75. In FIGURE 5 the first group of wires 75 that are in part mounted by rods 66 (which are most closely adjacent bracket portion' 67c) are designated by the bracket 76 while a second group of wires mounted by the quarter portion of rod 66 adjacent bracket portion 630 are designated by a bracket 77. Further, as may be noted from FIGURES 5 and 6, the wires 75 are mounted on rods 64, 66 to have their upper and lower coil portions in abutting relationship while the linear portion 750 is circumferentially more closely adjacent bracket portion 67c than the terminal end 75b. Likewise the second wire that is circumferentially closely adjacent bracket portion 670 has its linear portion 75c located circumferentially more closely adjacent bracket portion 67c than its terminal end portion 75b; while for the wire 75 that is most closely adjacent bracket portion 68c, it has its terminal end portion more circumferentially closer adjacent bracket portion 68c than its linear portion 75c. As a result, the coil portions of the wires 75 serve to retain the linear portions thereof circumferentially spaced from one another.

On about the one-half of the length of rods 64, 66 extending between brackets 60, 61 and 67, 68 respectively and which is designated by bracket 78 in FIGURE 5, there are mounted a plurality of wires 80. Wires 80 in an unmounted relaxed position in one view are as illustrated in FIGURE 9. Wires 80 each have a lower upwardly extending terminals end 8%, and a coil portion 80a of two and one-half turns integrally joining terminal end 80b to the lower end of the lower linear portion 800. The upper end of the linear portion 800 is integrally joined to one end of the coil portion 800! that extends through two turns, the opposite end of coil portion 80d being integrally joined to the lower end of intermediate linear portion 80:2. The upper end of intermediate portion 80a is integrally joined to one end of the coil portion 80 that extends through two turns, the opposite end of the coil portion 80f being integrally joined to the upper linear portion 80g. The upper end of linear portion 80g is integrally joined to one end of the coil portion 80h that extends through two and one-half turns and has a terminal end 801' that extends generally downwardly. Coils 80a, 80d, 80 80h are wound to extend horizontally outwardly of linear portions 800, 86g in the same direction whereby wire 86 as viewed at right angles to the direction of that shown in FIGURE 9 would look like wires 75 as shown in FIGURE 8 other than the wire 80 in a relaxed condition would be of a shorter length. That is, linear portions 800, Stle and 80g are all of the same lengths and are of the same length as linear portions 750, 75e, 75g. However, portion 80g extends outwardly relative portion 8012 at a small angle 83 while portion 80c extends outwardly relative portion 80e at an angle 82 that is equal and opposite to angle 83 whereby portions 800, 80g diverge and extend outwardly from portion 802. Angles 82, 83 may advantageously be of about The intermediate portions of rods 66, 64 are extended through the hollow cores of coil portions 80a, 80h respectively whereby the wire 80 most closely adjacent a wire 75 of the group designated by bracket 76 has its linear portion 80c circumferentially more closely adjacent terminal end 75b than linear portion 700. That is, the wires 80 are mounted to have the terminal ends of each of the two adjacent wires spaced circumferentially the same distance as, for example, their linear portions 800. Further, the wire 80' of group 78 that is most adjacent the wire 75 of group 76 has parts thereof abutting against parts of said wire 75. Likewise parts of the wire 80 most adjacent the wire 75 of group 77 abuts against parts of said wire 75. A rod 86 is extended through the hollow cores of each of the coil portions 75d, 80d while a rod 87 is extended to the hollow cores of coil portions 75 80 A nut 88 is threaded on and brazed to each terminal end portion of each of rods 86, 87 to bear against the adjacent wires 75 for retaining the intermediate coil portions of wires 75, 80 in abutting relationship when no .external loading force is applied to the wings. Since each of rods 64, 66, 86, 87 is of the same size and shape and the arcuate portions thereof each has the same radius of curvature, when the wires are mounted on said rods, the rods 75, 80 in a mounted condition as viewed from the side shown in FIGURE 9 would assume a shape intermediate that illustrated for wire 75 in FIGURE 7 and wire 80 in FIGURE 9. This occurs since each of the wires 75, 80 is hardened prior to being mounted on the rods and the wires, as viewed from the side, try to resume the shape illustrated in FIGURES 7 and 9 for the respective wire and as viewed in one direction at right angles to the side direction try to resume the shape shown in FIGURE 8 for wire 75. The shape of the wing is an average of the configurations that various wires try to assume in the mounted condition, thus the coiled portions 75d, 75 39d, 80 act as torsion springs resiliently urging the wire linear portions to the relative positions indicated for the Wires in a relaxed condition. Accordingly, the wires in a mounted condition are under tension and the wing is preloaded.

Further with reference to wires 75 in a mounted condition with no garment mounted on the buck assembly, as to the wires most adjacent bracket portions 60c, 67c as viewed in the direction of the arrows 88 (and considering this being the wing on the left-hand bracket of FIG- URE l), the linear portions 750, 75g will be bent at an angle to the cenral axes of coil portions 75d, 75 such that the linear portions 75 of FIGURE 8 would be further to the left of coiled portions 75a, 75h. However, as the wing is moved to the left and a garment initially resisting such movement of the wing predominantly along linear portions 80e, the the linear portions 75e of the wires 75 most closely adjacent brackets 60c, 67c would become located relative coiled portions 75a, 75k in more nearly the horizontal relative positions shown in FIGURE 8.

The length of wing used is such to extend vertically from a location intermediate the upper and lower elevation of the arm opening of the garment to be finished to adjacent the lower end of the garment when the garment is dressed on the buck apparatus. Further, the wing is mounted on a pair of studs that will position the vertically intermediate part of the wing approximately midway between the aforementioned intermediate elevation of the arm opening and the lower end of the garment at the time the garment is drawn taut by the wings expending outwardly. If the wings are positioned on the wing brackets at too low an elevation, there will be insufiicient resistance against the outward movement of the lower part of the wings, and accordingly, the wings will pivot about their respective pivot members 51 (direction opposite arrow 97) to be unduly inclined toward one another at an upward direction; and thus will not draw the top portion of the garment taut. Likewise, if the Wings are mounted on the wing brackets at too high an eleva tion the wings would tend to pivot about their respective pivots 51 in an opposite direction (arrow 97) to an undue extent whereby the lower portion of the garment will not be drawn taut.

In order to resiliently retain the garment engaging portion of the wings in a generally vertical condition for each wing there is provided a coil spring 92 having one end connected to a stud 93 that is mounted by plate 56 and an opposite end connected to stud 96 that is mounted by arm 59 at a substantially higher elevation than pivot 51. A second coil spring 99 has one end connected to a stud 94 mounted by plate 56 and an opposite end connected to a stud 95 connected to arm portion 58a. Spring 92 resists the pivotal movement of the wing arms 58, 59 about pivot 69 in the direction of arrow 97, while spring 99 resists the pivotal movement of said wing arms in the opposite direction.

In order to limit the movement of the wings outwardly of the buck heads, one end of one chain 98 is connected to stud 34 and the opposite end connected to pivot member 71 of one wing while a second chain has one end connected to stud 30 and the opposite end to pivot member 71 of the other wing. The chains are of lengths and mounted such that the mounting plates may be mounted either on studs 49, 48 or studs 47, 48.

To be noted is that when a wing is mounted on the wing bracket, for example, bracket 33, lever 57 in part extends along one surface portion of bracket arm 57 while the mounting plate abuts against the opposite vertical surface. Accordingly, the lever and mounting plate provide structure for preventing the mounting plate coming off the studs. However, when it is desired to remove the wing from the wing bracket, lever 57 is pivoted in the direction of arrow 97 to a vertical condition and then the mounting plate moved horizontally outwardly in the direction that the wing bracket studs extend outwardly of the respectilve wing bracket. Further arm portion 58b extends at an angle relative arm portion 58a to extend inwardly toward the buck heads in a downwardly direction while arm portion 58a extends inwardly toward the buck heads in an upward direction. This permits pivoting arm 58 without striking arm portion 33a or the upper end of arm 32. Additionally since arm 59 and arm portion 58a converge in a direction toward pivot 59, linear portions 801: may be flexed inwardly a greater distance toward pivot 59 than if a straight line connection were made between pivot 62 and 71.

With the above described structure, with the wires not exerting any outward force on the adjacent portions of a garment clamped on the buck assembly or exerting such an outward force the wires retain the rods in vertical space, generally parallel conditions, i.e., the radii of curvature of the length of the arcuately curved portions of the rods are located in planes that are substantially parallel to one another and are substantially parallel to the horizontal when the wing is in a vertical condition.

Using the apparatus of this invention, air under pressure is applied to cylinder 63 to move piston rod 45 to an extended position and thereby through rod 42, plate 41. spacer 46 and'cam rod 45, pivot control member 27 about pivot 25 in the direction of the arrow and control member 31 about pivot 26 in the direction of the arrow 91. This moves the wing brackets to their retracted position. Also, the clamp head operating means is operated to move the buck clamps 19, 21 away from the stationary buck heads. Thereafter, the garment such as a shirt or coat is dressed on the buck to have the shoulder portions supported by the shoulder form assembly 24, the back part of the garment intermediate clamp-head 21 and rear buck head 16, and the front portion of the garment intermediate clamp head 19 and front buck head 15. The assembly 24 may include collar clamp mechanism (not shown), and if so, this is operated to a closed position. After the garment has been straightened on the buck the clamp heads are operated to their closed position to clampingly engage the garment with suflicient pressure to prevent the front vertical edges of the garment separating but at the same time allowing the garment to be drawn horizontally taut as the wings are moved to the expanded position. Thereafter, air is exhausted from cylinder 63 and rod 36 moves downwardly through gravity and the urging of spring 38. Since the cam rod is moved downwardly, the coil springs 40 connected to the parallel linkages urge the control member 27 to pivot about pivot member 25 in the direction opposite arrow 90 and control member 31 to pivot about pivot member 26 in the direction opposite arrow 91. This moves the wing brackets predominantly outwardly of one another and downwardly to draw the portions of the garment horizontally intermediate the wings taut. Where garments such as coats and shirts have the vertically intermediate portion of the body part of the garment tapered to first converge inwardly and then outwardly, the linear portions 80c of the Wires 80 normally abut against the tapered portion to resist the outward movement of the wings to their extended position and then garment portions bear against portions 80c, 80g to resist the outward movement of the wings. However, the coil springs 40 acting through the wing brackets and arms 59, 58 continue to urge the bracket 60, 61 and 67, 68 outwardly. As a result, the wings are flexed to have the upper and lower end portions move further outwardly relative the wing brackets 29, 33 than the intermediate linear portions such as diagrammatically shown in FIGURE 10. This flexing movement of the wing tends to unwind coils 80d, 80 and as a result set up a torsion spring action Opposing this flexing of the Wings. As the garment retards the outward movement of wire portions 802 (and thereby rods 86, 87) relative the outward movement of rods 64, 66, the bracket rod combination 67, 68, 66 is free to pivot about pivot member 70, While link 69 is free to pivot about pivot member 71. This permits a change of the vertical spacing between rods 64, 66 as the wires are flexed through exerting a force on the garment outwardly from the buck heads. Depending on the cut of the garment, wire portions 80:: may be curved instead of extending generally linear as indicated in FIGURE 10, or may be more or less horizontally offset from the upper and lower ends of the wings than indicated in FIGURE 10. Thus, the wings can be deformed so that the wires press against the garment from the top to the lower part of the Wing to draw the garment tight in a horizontal direction while the fibers of the garment oppose the outward movement of the wing.

After the wings have moved to their extended position, steam and air, and thence air is blown upwardly by means (not shown) through the bottom portion of the garment to flow outwardly through the garment including between the wires of the wings, for example in the manner described in my aforementioned copending application. Since the garment is first drawn horizontally taut before fluid is passed through the garment, the fabric in conjunction with the wings set up a system whereby the garment cannot be punched in, such as a balloon, as would happen if air inflated bags were used for filling the garment. After the garment has been finished, the wings are then operated to their retracted position whereupon the wing wires resume the wing retracted state, and the buck clamps operated to their open position; and thereafter the garment removed from the buck.

By providing a group of bent wires 88 and straight Wires 75 of the construction described, even if the wires should assume a position that all the linear portions of each wire in a mounted condition are perpendicular, the wires still will be in tension.

As an example of the Wing structure of this invention and not as a limitation of the invention, each of the linear lengths of the wires may be 10 inches long, the wire of a diameter of 0.080 inch, the wire made of steel, the internal diameter of the coils is about A: of an inch, the rods A in diameter, the internal radius of curvature of the arcuate portions of the rods 1%" and the linear rod portion 72 intermediaate the adjacent bracket and the arcuate curved portion /8". With the specific dimensions given, and the wires having coiled portions of the number of turns previously mentioned, a total of 36 wires are used. However, if shorter garments are to be finished, then the overall vertical length of the wings would be less than 30 inches and the wings mounted on, for example, studs 49 and 50.

What is claimed is:

1. 1n apparatus for finishing garments having a base, first means mounted on the base to extend thereabove for supporting a garment, said first means including a vertically elongated buck head, and wind means movably mounted on the base adjacent said head for drawing the garment generally horizontally taut, said wing means including a wing bracket, a first and a second arcuately curved mounting member, a plurality of circumferentially adjacent vertically elongated garment engaging third members having first end portions mounted on the first member and second end portions mounted on the second member, and second means mounted on the wing bracket for mounting said first and second members in vertical spaced relationship to extend away from the wing bracket in a direction generally away from the buck head.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 further characterized in that each of said third members is flexible, that the first and second mounting members each has a first end portion, a second end portion and a third arcuate portion joining the mounting members first and second end portions, and that said second means is connected to said mounting members first and second end portions to mount the mounting members to retain the mounting members third portions more remote from the buck head than their first and second portions.

3. The apparatus of claim 1 further characterized in that each of said third members has a vertically elongated third portion having one end joined to the first end portion and an opposite end, a vertically elongated fourth portion having one end, and a coiled portion for connecting the third portion opposite end to the fourth portion one end to resiliently retain the third portion in a given relationship relative to the fourth portion.

4. The apparatus of claim 1 further characterized in that the second means comprises an elongated rigid arm member having a first end portion and a second end portion, a pivot member mounted on said arm first end portion, bracket means mounted on said pivot member for mounting said first mounting member end portions to extend on opposite sides of said arm member first end portion, and means for pivotally connecting said second mounting member end portions to the arm second end portion, and that the third members comprise bendable wire means for flexibly retaining the first and second members in a given vertical spaced relationship.

5. The apparatus of claim 4 further characterized in that said arm member has an intermediate Portion and that the second means includes a mounting plate adapted to be mounted on the wing bracket, and a horizontal pivot member for pivotally connecting said arm member intermediate portion to the mounting plate.

6. The apparatus of claim 5 further characterized in that first spring means is connected to said arm member at a higher elevation than said horizontal pivot member and to the mounting plate to resist pivotal movement of the arm member in one direction about the horizontal pivot member and that second spring means is connected to said arm member at a lower elevation than said horizontal pivot member and to the mounting plate to resist pivotal movement of the arm member in the opposite direction about the horizontal pivot member.

7. The apparatus of claim 5 further characterized in that said wing bracket has a vertically elongated arm and a pair of vertically spaced studs mounted on said wing bracket arm to extend horizontally outwardly thereof, that said mounting plate has a pair of vertical spaced apertures to have the studs extended therethrough to mount the mounting plate, and that said arm intermediate portion comprises a first arm upper end portion, a second arm lower end portion and a lever having a lower end portion joined to said first and second arm end portions to mount the said first and second arm end portions to diverge in a direction away from the wing bracket arm, said lever being joined to said first and second arm portions to form a generally upwarly extending straight line continuation of the first arm upper end portion and that there is provided a spacer of a greater axial length than the horizontal thickness of the wing bracket arm on the horizontal pivot member intermediate the mounting plate and the lever to position the lever to in part extend on the opposite side of the wing bracket arm from said mounting plate, said mounting plate when mounted on said studs having the horizontal pivot member outwardly of the wing bracket in direction opposite the buck head.

8. The apparatus of claim 7 further characterized in that said wire means comprises a first group of wires that in a relaxed, unmounted condition have linear intermediate portions and opposite end linear portions connected to the above mentioned wire intermediate portions to extend outwardly thereof at substantially equal but opposite angles and a second group of wires of substantially the same lengths as the first group,of wires that in a relaxed unmounted condition each have a linear intermediate portion, and linear opposite end portions that substantially lie in the same vertical plane, said first and second arcuately curved mounting members mounting said wires in a tensioned condition to provide a preloaded wing.

9. The apparatus of claim 1 further characterized in that each of said first and second members respectively comprises a first and a second arcuately curved rod respectively having the first and second members first and second end portions and that each of said third members comprises a wire, each of said third members first and second end portions respectively comprising a wire first end portion and a wire second end portion wires third portions each being spaced about the 10. The apparatus of claim 9 further characterized in that each of said wires has a coiled third portion intermediate the wires first and second portions, said wires third portions each being spaced about the same distance from said wires first end portions, and that there is provided a third arcuately curved rod extended through said coiled portions, said third rod having opposite first and second end portions and a third portion joining the third rods first and second end portions, and means mounted on said third rods end portions for retaining the coiled portions on said third rod.

11. The apparatus of claim 10 further characterized in that each coiled portion has a first end and a second end, and that each wire has a first linear portion having one end integrally joined to the wire first portion and an opposite end integrally joined to said first end and a second linear portion having one end integral'y joined to said second end.

12. The apparatus of claim 11 further characterized in that each of the linear portions extends generally vertically relative the respective rod generally on dia- 13. The apparatus of claim 11 further characterized in that each of said first and second rods has a first end portion, a second end portion and a third curved portion joining the respective rods first and second end portions, that the second means includes an elongated mounting arm member having a first end portion and a second end portion, first bracket means pivotally connected to said arm members first end portion for mounting the first rod end portions for retaining the first bracket means in abutting engagement with the adjacent wires first end portions, a short link having one end pivotally connected to said arm member second end portion and an opposite end, second bracket means pivotally connected to said link opposite end for mounting said second rod end portions, and means mounted on said second rod end portions for retaining the second bracket means in abutting engagement with the adjacent wires second end portions.

14. The apparatus of claim 13 further characterized in that each rod third portion has a central arcuate portion having opposite ends and a first and second arcuate portion respectively joining the central portion ends to the rod first end portion and second end portion, and that said wires include a first group of wires having their first end portions, second end portions and coiled portions mounted on the respective rod first end portion and first arcuate portion, a second group or wires having their first end portions, second end portions and coiled portions mounted on the respective rod second end portion and second arcuate portion and a third group of wires having their first end portions, second end portions and coiled portions mounted on the respective rod central portion along the length thereof, the third group of wires in an unmounted relaxed condition having the first and second linear portions extending away from the coiled portion at an angle several degrees less than 15. The apparatus of claim 14 further characterized in that each of the third group of wires has a second coiled portion having one end integrally joined to the second linear portion opposite end and an opposite end and a third linear portion having one end integrally joined to the second coil portion opposite end and an opposite end joined to the wire second end portion, said third group of wires in an unmounted, relaxed condition each having their linear portions extending away from their second coiled portions at an angle substantially equal and opposite to the angle of the angle or" extension of their first and second linear portions away from the third Wire first mentioned coiled portions, and that there is provided a fourth rod having an arcuately curved central portion extended through said second coiled portions.

16. The apparatus of claim 15 further characterized in that each of said rods central portions has substantially the same radius of curvature, that each of said coiled portions has the same number of turns, that the first and second coiled portions extend generally horizontally out- Wardly of the respective second linear portion in the same driection, and that the wires first and second end portions each comprise at least one wire turn about the first and second rod respectively.

17. For garment finishing apparatus having a buck base, a buck head mounted on the base to extend thereabove, a first and second vertical wing bracket arm, and parallel linkage means mounted on the base to move the Wing bracket arms laterally in opposite directions between a wing retracted position and a wing extended position more laterally remote of the buck head, a first vertically elongated wing for being mounted on the first wing bracket arms and a second vertically elongated wing for being mounted on the second wing bracket arm, each of said wings having a first and a second elongated curved rod, said rods each having a first end portion, an arcuately curved intermediate portion and a second end portion, a vertically elongated rigid arm member having a first end portion, an intermediate portion and a second end portion, first means connected to the first rod end portions for mounting the first rod on the arm member first end portion, said first means including opposite bracket end portions fixedly attached to the respective first rod end portions, second means connected to the second rod end portions for mounting the second rod on the arm member second end portion, said second means including opposite bracket end portions fixedly attached to the respective secnd rod end portions, a plurality of vertically elongated, flexible, garment engaging members having first end portions mounted on the first rod along the length of the first rod between the first means bracket end portions, and second end portions mounted on the second rod along the length of the second rod between the second means bracket end portions, and means for mounting the arm member intermediate portion on the respective wing bracket arm for pivotal movement about a first horizontal axis generally perpendicular to the direction of lateral movement of the respective bracket arm relative the buck head.

18. The apparatus of claim 17 further characterized in that the first means includes third means for mounting the first means bracket end portions on the arm member first end portion for pivotal movement about a second generally horizontal axis substantially parallel to the first axis, and that the second means includes fourth means for mounting the second means bracket end portions on the arm member second end portion for pivotal movement about a third generally horizontal axis that is substantially parallel to the first axis and vertically on the opposite side of the first axis from the second axis.

19. The apparatus of claim 18 further characterized in that said flexible emrnbers are of a number, suflicient rigidity and lengths to retain said rods in generally parallel relationship, and that said fourth means includes a short link having a first end portion and a second end portion, means for connecting said link first end portion to the second means bracket end portions for pivotal movement about a substantially horizontal axis generally parallel to the first axis, and means for connecting said link second end portion to the arm second end portion for pivotal movement about a substantially horizontal axis generally parallel to the first axis.

20. The apparatus of claim 18 further characterized in that each of said flexible members has a vertical elongated third and fourth portion and a first coiled portion integrally joining the third and fourth portions, said coiled portion having a central generally horizontal axis of coiling and extending horizontally further inwardly toward the arm member than the adjacent parts of the third and fourth portions.

21. The apapratus of claim 20 further characterized in that each of said third portions has an end remote from the first coiled portion, that said flexible member first and second end portions respectively comprise a second and a third coil portion, said second coiled portion being integrally joined to the respective third portion end, said second and third coiled portions each having a central generally horizontal axis of coiling, the first and second rods being extended through the second and third coiled portions and being positioned on the respective rod to have the respective coiled portion of one flexible member closely adjacent the coiled portion of another flexible member.

22, The apparatus of claim 20 further characterized in that there is provided a third rod having an opposite end and being extended through the flexible member first coiled portions, and means mounted on the third rod opposite ends for retaining the first coiled portions on the third rod, said rods being of substantially the same siZe and shape' 23. The apparatus of claim '20 further characterized in that each flexible member includes a vertically elongated fifth portion having a first end and a second coiled portion integrally joining the fifth portion first end to the fourth portion remote from the first coiled portion, said second coiled portion having a central, generally horizontal axis of coiling and extending horizontally further inwardly toward the arm member than the adjacent parts of the fourth and fifth portions and that there is provided a third and a fourth rod each having opposite end portions, said third and fourth rods being respectively extended through first and second coiled portions of the plurality of flexible members to be solely supported by respective coiled portions and means mounted on each of the third and fourth rod end portions for retaining the respective coiled portions on the rods.

24. The apparatus of claim 23 further characterized in that each of the rods are of substantially the same size and shape, that the third and fourth rods have intermediate arcuately curved portions, that the rods intermediate portions have central portions, that the first and second means mount the first and second rods to position their central portions more horizontally remote from the respective wing bracket arm than their end portions, and that the flexible members include a first group of flexible members on the rods central portions,

said first group of flexible members in an unmounted relaxed condition each having their third and fifth portions extending vertically .away from the fourth portion at an equal and opposite angle of several degrees, and a second group of flexible members on the rods adjacent the rods central portions, said second group of flexible members in an unmounted relaxed condition each hav ing their third and fifth portions extending vertically away from their fourth portions in opposite directions in generally vertical alignment.

25. The apparatus of claim 24 further characterized in that each coiled portion has the same number of turns and that each first coiled portion is connected to the respective third and fourth portion to horizontally offset the third portion from the fourth portion and that each second coiled portion is connected to the respective fourth portion to horizontally offset the fifth portion from the fourth portion in the same horizontal direction that the third portion is offset from the fourth portion, and that said arm members converge toward the arm member mounting means in a direction horizontally away frome the flexible members.

26. In 'buck apparatus for finishing a garment that has a vertical elongated wing bracket arm having opposite vertical sides and a vertical edge, vertical spaced studs mounted on the wing bracket arm to extend horizontally outwardly of one vertical side in the same direction and a vertically elongated wing member having an upper end portion and a lower end portion, a horizontal pivot member, a mounting plate having a pair of apertures vertically spaced for the studs to extend through to mount said plate on one side of said bracket arm and mount said horizontal pivot member outwardly of said vertical edge, a horizontal spacer of a greater axial length than the thickness of said bracket arm mounted on said horizontal pivot member, a vertically elongated arm member having a first end portion, an intermediate portion and a second end portion, first means for connecting the arm member first end portion to the wing member upper end portion and second means for connecting the arm member second end portion to the wing member lower end portion, said intermediate portion including first arm lower end portion, a second arm upper linear end portion and a lever having a lower end portion joined to said first and second arm end portions to form a generally straight line extension of said second arm end portion, said first and second arm portions diverging in a direction horizontally outwardly of said bracket arm edge and said spacer being located intermediate said arm portions and mounting plate to position said lever to at least partially extend along the opposite side of the bracket arm from the mounting plate.

27. The apparatus of claim 26 further characterized in that there is provided spring means connected to the arm member for resiliently retaining the arm member in a position that the wing member extends generally vertically.

28. The apparatus of claim 26 further characterized in that said arm member is rigid, that said wing member includes a first mounting member, a second mounting member, and vertically elongated flexible garment engaging members having opposite ends connected to the first and second mounting members respectively for movably retaining the mounting members in vertical spaced relationship, that the first means comprise means for pivotally mounting the first mounting member on the arm members first end portion and that the second means includes third means for pivotally mounting the second mounting members on the arm members second end portion.

29. The apparatus of claim 28 further characterized in that each of the first and second mounting members comprises a curved rod having an arcuately curved intermediate portion and generally linear opposite end portions and bracket means for mounting said rod end portions on the respective first and second pivot member to position the rod intermediate portion further horizontally outwardly of said bracket arm edge than said rod end portions, said bracket means opposite terminal end portions being connected to the rod opposite end portions to extend toward one another and said bracket means having intermediate portions connected to the respective terminal end portion to converge in a direction toward the rod intermediate portion, and that said wires have coiled opposite end portions extending around the respective rod along the length thereof intermediate the adjacent bracket means terminal end portion.

30. The apparatus of claim 29 further characterized in that said wires each has a third coiled portion vertically intermediate its opposite end portions, and that there is provided a third rod extended through said third coiled portions.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 4/1957 Hitz 223-57 9/1966 Piilola 22357 g;;g UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE CERTIFICATE OF CORRECTION Patent No 3 47x709 Dated October 21,1969

InventorlIe) Virgil Ro Carpenter It is certified that error appears in the above-identified patent and thetpeid.Lettersfatent are hereby corrected as shown below:

Column 1", line 30, "drayer" should be "dryer-n Column 2 line 69, "as" should be -is-. Column 3, line 61, "then" should be -tha.n-. Column 6 line 16 "57b Should be --75b--; line 18, delete "dition."; line 49, "terminals" should be --terminal-. Column 7 line 54, delete "the" (first occurrence) Column 10, line 15, "wind" should be --wing--. Column 11, line 12 P'upwarly" should be --upwardly--; line 44, "Wire's third portions each being spaced about the" should be "respectively mounted on the first rod and the second rod--; line 65, after dia-", insert -metric opposite sides of the rod from the second means. Column 12 line 50, "driection" should be --direction--. Column 13 line 24, "emmbers" should be -'-members--. Colmnn 14, line 34, "frome" should be --from--.

SIGNED 'RND SEALED M 2 mo S Anew Edward M. Fletcher, Jr. WIIULIAM E. W, IR- Attcgfing offi Comissioner of Patents 

